A Reflection from the Liturgical Art and Environment Committee

We just celebrated the Church’s great feast of Pentecost with all the signs of spring-turned-summer. Resurrection - Ascension - Pentecost are unified into the one mystery. Pentecost concludes our Paschal Mission. The journey we began so long ago in ashes (Ash Wednesday) is finished in the fire and wind of God's spirit - the inspiration for the symbolic flames that greeted all entering the welcoming space.

We now transition into Ordinary Time (which will take us all the way to the end of November) with two solemnities: first the feast of the Holy Trinity; and second, the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).

The liturgical colour of Ordinary Time is green, however on the two feast days white vestments are worn.

Since the Eucharist is so central to the mystery of our faith, in 2004 Pope John Paul asked Catholics to reconsider the custom of the traditional procession on the feast of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi that was common in many regions of the world. It is customary to carry a canopy over the monstrance carried by the presider. Our parish did not have such a canopy, so for the last several months, the Art and Environment team went to work to create one, using donated fabrics and old vestments and stoles, which arrived in perfect time for us to work on the project. With much skill and creativity a noble canopy was created attached to four metal rods with finials. It is now ready to be carried in the Eucharistic procession.

All are welcome to join in the Eucharistic Procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi - Sunday, June 3rd, following the 11:30 am Mass.